Steel for musical instruments



Dec. 26, 1939. H. E. BURGIEN STEEL FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed Feb.24, 1939 Jiezb Ba 3543 mud/M Patented Dec. 26, 1939 UNITED srArasPATENT. OFFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to steels'for use in pressing the strings ofstringed musical instruments, such as guitars, while they are beingplayed.

In playing such instruments, a metallic bar,

5 generally of cylindrical shape, is pressed upon the strings atdifferent points alongtheir' lengths to vary the pitch and equality ofthe emitted tone. Because of the extensive range of movement of the baralong the strings, the bar must assume 10 a variety of angular positionswith respect to the hand and wrist. The present invention provides aholding means for the bar which will readily accommodate these.diiferent angular positions.

disclosed in the drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1,

20 the parts being separated.

The bar 5 which is to be pressed against the strings of the musicalinstrument is preferably cylindrical in shape and of a length to extendacross all the strings. At one end it may be 35 concaved to form a thumbreceiving recess 6.

Its other end may have a convex formation so that if desired only onestring at a time may be pressed down by this convex portion. The bar maybe made of steel, or of some corrosion re- 30 sisting metal. I

t a point preferably centrally of its length, the bar 5 is formed with ascrew hole 8 which is transverse to the axis of the bar. Outwardly fromthis screw hole and concentric therewith 5 is a socket 9. The socket 9should be of circular shape larger than the screw hole 8, and may be ofshallow depth. I

The finger band I is preferably made of spring metal and is split at IIso that it will firmly clamp the finger inserted into'it. The opening atone end of the band may be larger than at the other end, so that theband will fit the taper of the finger. Opposite from the split in theband is a bulge or protuberance, such as may be formed by pressing thematerial of the band outwardly at this point. This protuberance forms arecess I2 internally of the band and a boss I3 externally of the band.The boss I3 should be of approximately the size of the socket 9 in thebar so that it will enter the socket.

To retain the parts together, a screw I4 is passed through an opening I5centrally of the protuberance of the band, and is threaded into screwhole 8 of the bar 5. The head of screw I4 seats in recess l2 and shouldlie entirely there- A preferred embodiment of the invention is in. Thisis an important feature of the invention, because the head of the screwis thereby entirely out of the finger receiving opening of the band, andwill not bear unpleasantly upon the finger of the player.

The boss I3 of the finger band lies within the socket 9 of the bar andprovides, in effect, a bushing between the screw I l and the bar 5. Itis desirable, however, that the boss I3 fit somewhat loosely in thesocket 9, and that the socket be slightly deeper than the boss I3, sothat the boss may assume different tilted relationship in the socket.This permits the bar 5 to rock with respect to the finger band, as isnecessary during playing.

By the provision of the socket 9 to receive the protuberance of thefinger band lfl, the added advantage is obtained that the finger withinthe band is brought as closely as possible to the bar 5. This makespossible a greater ease of playing, since the bar is more closely Withinthe grasp of the player and can be more readily manipulated. I

In use, the players forefinger of either hand is inserted in the fingerband, and the ends of the bar are grasped between the thumb and secondfinger, the thumb preferably being pressed permits the finger band to beturned relative to the bar so as to be grasped in either hand.

The pivotal connection between the finger band and the steel to bepressed against the strings permits the steel to pivot freely so that itmay be laid across the strings in any desired angular relation at allpositions along the strings. Furthermore, the slight looseness of thepivotal connection permits the steel to assume different positions inthe players hand, so that variations in the mode of grasping the steel.during playing will be readily accommodated. These several advantagescontribute to the considerable ease with which a stringed instrument maybe played by use of the steel of the invention.

I claim:

1. A steel for use in pressing the strings of a musical instrument,comprising a bar, a finger band having a recess in the inner sidethereof, and a connecting screw between the bar and band, passingthrough the band and into the bar, and having its head seated in therecess.

2. A steel for use in pressing the strings of a. musical instrumentcomprising a bar, a split finger band having a recess in the inner sidethereof opposite from the split, and a connecting screw between the barand band, passing through the band and into the bar, and having its headseated in the recess.

3. A steel for use in pressing the strings of a musical instrument,comprising a bar having a socket in the side thereof, a finger bandhaving a boss on the outer side thereof seating within said socket, anda screw passing through the boss and into the bar and retaining theparts together.

4. A steel for use in pressing the strings of a musical instrumentcomprising a bar having a socket in the side thereof, a split fingerband having an external boss opposite from the split seating within saidsocket, and a screw passing through the boss and into the bar andretaining the parts together.

5. A steel for use in pressing the strings of a musical instrumentcomprising a bar having a socket in the side thereof, a finger bandhaving a protuberance forming an internal recess and an external boss,and a screw passing through said protuberance and into the bar, havingits head seated in said recess and retaining the parts together with theboss of the finger band seated in said socket.

6. A steel for use in pressing the strings of a musical instrumentcomprising a cylindrical bar having centrally of its length andtransverse to its axis a screw hole and an outer circular socket, asplit finger band having opposite from the split a protuberance formingan internal recess and an external boss, said boss being of a size tosubstantially fit said socket, and a screw, passing through the band,and having its head seated in said recess and being screwed in saidscrew hole to retain the parts together with said external boss withinsaid socket.

7. A steel for stringed musical instruments comprising a bar to bearupon the strings, a finger band and a swivel connection directly betweensaid band and bar about midway of the length of the latter, saidconnection being loose to allow the swivel axis to assume difierentangular positions with respect to the bar to thereby permit the bar totilt lengthwise relative to the band, substantially as described.

HERBERT E. BURGIEN.

